Research Summary

Sharmila Majumdar, PhD, is a UCSF Professor and the Vice Chair of Research in the Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging and Professor in the Departments of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, Orthopedic Surgery at UCSF and Bioengineering at UC Berkeley. She is Director of the Musculoskeletal Research Interest Group at UCSF, an interdisciplinary group consisting of faculty, post-doctoral scholars and students. She obtained her PhD degree in Engineering and Applied Science from Yale University in 1987, where she stayed as a post-doctoral researcher and Assistant Professor until 1989, when she joined UCSF.

Her research work on imaging, particularly magnetic resonance and micro computed tomography, and development of image processing and analysis tools, has been focused in the areas of osteoporosis, osteo-arthritis and lower back pain. Her research, which is supported by grants from the NIH and corporate entities, and is diverse ranging from technical development to clinical trials. She currently heads an NIH Center of Research Translation focused on Osteoarthritis and Imaging, a joint effort between UCSF and UC Davis.

Dr. Majumdar was selected as a fellow of the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineers in 2004 and a fellow of the International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine in 2008. In 2007 she was awarded the “Excellence in Direct Teaching and/or Excellence in Mentoring and Advising Award” by the UCSF Haile T. Debas Academy of Medical Educators.

She has published extensively in the Journal of Bone Mineral Research, Magnetic Resonance in Medicine, and other highly regarded journals. She also serves as a reviewer and is on the editorial board of scientific journals, and is a recognized expert in the area of imaging.

Research Funding

  • March 15, 2022 - February 28, 2027 - Simultaneous Imaging of Tissue Biochemistry and Metabolism associated with Biomechanics in Patella Femoral Joint Osteoarthritis , Co-Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R01AR079647
  • July 14, 2016 - June 30, 2026 - Structural, Biochemical and Functional Connectivity in Osteoarthritis using Quantitative Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Skeletal Biomechanics , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R01AR069006
  • April 1, 2021 - March 31, 2026 - Ultra-Fast Knee MRI with Deep Learning , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R01AR078762
  • September 26, 2019 - July 31, 2025 - Technology Research Site for Advanced, Faster Quantitative Imaging for BACPAC , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: UH3AR076724
  • April 1, 2018 - July 31, 2021 - Deep Learning for Characterizing Knee Joint Degeneration Predicting Progression of Osteoarthritis and Total Knee Replacement , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R33AR073552
  • September 26, 2019 - August 31, 2020 - Technology Research Site for Advanced, Faster Quantitative Imaging for BACPAC , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: UH2AR076724
  • April 1, 2018 - March 31, 2020 - Deep Learning for Characterizing Knee Joint Degeneration Predicting Progression of Osteoarthritis and Total Knee Replacement , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R61AR073552
  • July 1, 2014 - March 31, 2020 - UCSF Core Center for Musculoskeletal Biology and Medicine , Co-Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: P30AR066262
  • August 1, 2011 - July 31, 2018 - Translation of Quantitative Imaging in Osteoarthritis , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: P50AR060752
  • September 17, 1999 - May 31, 2018 - Loaded and Unloaded MR Imaging of Meniscus-Cartilage-Trabecular Bone in OA , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R01AR046905
  • January 1, 2000 - June 30, 2014 - Morphological and Functional Musko-Skeletal Imaging , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R01AG017762
  • September 30, 2009 - August 31, 2012 - A Multi-Disciplinary Multi-Development Core on Musculoskeletal Imaging , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: P30AR058899
  • July 1, 2007 - June 30, 2011 - Instrument Development for the Osteoarthritis Initiative , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: U01AR055079
  • September 30, 2002 - August 31, 2007 - Vertebral Fracture: Trabecular Bone Structure Assessment , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R01AR049701
  • August 23, 2004 - June 30, 2007 - SPECTROSCOPIC MARKERS OF DISC DEGENERATION , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R21AR051048
  • September 30, 1995 - August 31, 2000 - NON-INVASIVE ASSESSMENT OF TRABECULAR ARCHITECTURE , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R01AG013612
  • June 1, 1999 - May 31, 2000 - CARTILAGE &TRABECULAR BONE MORPHOLOGY IN OSTEOARTHRITIS , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R03AG016388
  • April 15, 1999 - April 14, 2000 - CONSOLE AND COMPUTER UPGRADE FOR A 15T MR SCANNER , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: S10RR013051
  • May 1, 1993 - December 31, 1998 - QUANTIFICATION OF TRABECULAR BONE DENSITY AND STRUCTURE , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: K04AR001903
  • September 15, 1992 - August 31, 1995 - QUANTIFICATION OF TRABECULAR BONE DENSITY AND STRUCTURE , Principal Investigator . Sponsor: NIH, Sponsor Award ID: R01AR041226

Education

St. Stephens College, University of Delhi, India, B.S., 1983, Physics
Yale University, Connecticut, USA, M.S., 1984, Eng. & Applied Physics
Yale University, Connecticut, USA, Ph.D., 1987, Eng. & Applied Physics
Yale University, Connecticut, USA, Postdoctoral, 1988, Radiology

Honors & Awards

  • 2002
    Celebrating Woman Faculty, Award and Recognition, Chancellor and Deans of UCSF
  • 2004
    Fellow of the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineers (AIMBE)
  • 2008
    Fellow of the International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM)
  • 2016
    Gold Medal of International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine (ISMRM)

Selected Publications

  1. Ziegeler K, Majumdar S. AI for Opportunistic Identification of BMD and Bone Microarchitecture: A Narrative Review. Calcif Tissue Int. 2026 Sep 02; 117(1). View on PubMed
  2. Ulas ST, Hess M, Zhu Z, Feuerriegel GC, Wiriyanukhroh T, Uluk Y, Bahroos E, Friedman J, Liu F, Joseph GB, Link TM, Majumdar S, Yang Y, Gersing AS. Diagnostic efficacy of deep learning-based denoising of low-field 0.55 T compared to conventional 3 T knee MRI. Eur J Radiol. 2026 Nov; 204:113163. View on PubMed
  3. Ulas ST, Liu F, Joseph GB, Majumdar S, Hoyer G, Nevitt MC, McCulloch CE, Lane NE, Link TM, Gersing AS. Thigh muscle volume change is associated with longitudinal structural and functional knee osteoarthritis progression - Data from the osteoarthritis initiative. Osteoarthr Cartil Open. 2026 Sep; 8(3):100858. View on PubMed
  4. Marth AA, Liu F, Joseph GB, Zwerin R, Majumdar S, Lynch JA, Lane NE, Nevitt MC, McCulloch CE, Link TM. Associations Between Deep Learning-Derived Infrapatellar Fat Pad Volume on MRI with Cartilage Thickness and Imaging Features of Knee Osteoarthritis: Data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 2026 Aug 07. View on PubMed
  5. Serapio A, Chen TL, Tangsombatvisit B, Fields BKK, Yu Y, Guo Y, Kim SK, Miao BY, Sushil M, Hess CP, Majumdar S, Sohn JH. Radiologically Relevant Clinical History Summarization with Large Language Models: A Multireader Performance Study. Radiology. 2026 Aug; 320(2):e253238. View on PubMed
  6. Cummings JA, Majumdar S, Bishara A, Motzkin J, Raj A, Shirvalkar P, Lotz J. Predicting pain location from resting-state brain fMRI. bioRxiv. 2026 Jun 18. View on PubMed
  7. Kreutzinger V, Ziegeler K, Han M, Chin CT, Bhattacharjee R, Remick I, Bahroos E, Majumdar S. Quantitative Disk and Metabolic Bone PET-MRI for Understanding Disk-Endplate Crosstalk in Degeneration of the Lumbar Spine. JOR Spine. 2026 Jun; 9(2):e70188. View on PubMed
  8. Lee J, Roach KE, Bahroos E, Jiang F, Pedoia V, Majumdar S, Souza RB. Regional and depth-dependent associations between subchondral bone and cartilage in hip osteoarthritis: a preliminary [18F]-NaF PET-MR study exploring bone-cartilage cross-talk. Skeletal Radiol. 2026 Jul; 55(7):1651-1661. View on PubMed
  9. Wagner JG, Hammond E, Boyer KA, Johnson J, Collins KH, Majumdar S, Souza RB. Gait Biomechanics During Early Stance Phase Predict Pain Flares in Persons With Patellofemoral Joint Osteoarthritis. JOSPT Open. 2026 Apr; 4(2):223-231. View on PubMed
  10. Hoyer G, Tong MW, Bhattacharjee R, Pedoia V, Majumdar S. Clinical utility of foundation models in musculoskeletal MRI for biomarker fidelity and predictive outcomes. NPJ Digit Med. 2026 Mar 24; 9(1). View on PubMed
  11. Lansdown DA, Niknam K, Orringer M, Crane J, Ramirez C, Link TM, Majumdar S. Meniscus Tear Morphology and Patient Demographics as Predictors of Treatment for Meniscal Tears: A Natural Language Processing Study. Orthop J Sports Med. 2026 Mar; 14(3):23259671251397648. View on PubMed
  12. Kreutzinger V, Ziegeler K, Chin CT, Han M, Bahroos E, Remick I, Link TM, Majumdar S, Yoon D. Foraminal [18F]FDG Uptake on PET/MRI Is Associated with Radiculopathy and Symptom Reduction after Image-Guided Nerve Root Block. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2026 03 04; 47(3):816-822. View on PubMed
  13. Halvorson RT, Keeley T, Niknam K, Zack T, Majumdar S, Feeley BT, Zhang AL, Lansdown DA. Large Language Model Predicts Surgeon Recommendations for Imaging and Surgery for Patients Presenting for Knee and Shoulder Complaints With 70% and 81% Accuracy Using Previsit Questionnaire Responses. Arthroscopy. 2026 01; 42(1):185-193. View on PubMed
  14. Joseph GB, McCulloch CE, Liu F, Lynch JA, Majumdar S, Lane NE, Nevitt MC, Link TM. Increase in knee-adjacent subcutaneous fat is associated with cartilage degeneration independent of BMI: A four-year analysis of the OAI dataset. Osteoarthr Cartil Open. 2026 Jun; 8(2):100768. View on PubMed
  15. Thahakoya R, Bhattacharjee R, Han M, Gassert FG, Luitjens J, Pedoia V, Souza RB, Majumdar S. Artificial Intelligence-Based Proximal Bone Shape Asymmetry Analysis and Clinical Correlation with Cartilage Relaxation Times and Functional Activity. Bioengineering (Basel). 2026 Feb 05; 13(2). View on PubMed
  16. Han M, Larson PEZ, Link TM, Akkaya Z, Carl M, Ma CB, Lansdown DA, Feeley BT, Majumdar S. Quantitative Ultrashort Echo-Time MRI to Assess In Vivo Rotator Cuff Tendon Quality. J Orthop Res. 2026 Feb; 44(2):e70158. View on PubMed
  17. Kreutzinger V, Ziegeler K, Chin CT, Han M, Bahroos E, Yoon D, Link TM, Majumdar S. Bone remodeling, not inflammation, as the predominant pathology in modic type 1 lesions of the lumbar spine. Pain Med. 2026 Jan 01; 27(1):53-61. View on PubMed
  18. Gensler LS, Jans L, Majumdar S, Poddubnyy D. Dr. Gensler et al reply. J Rheumatol. 2025 Dec 01; 52(12):1323. View on PubMed
  19. Rowland B, Barth KS, Bell KM, Brooks AK, Chadwick AL, Cleven A, Hurley RW, Mackey S, Patel KV, Piva SR, Schneider MJ, Al-Kadhi F, Asante-Nketiah B, Bagaason S, Batorsky A, Borckardt JJ, Bowden AE, Carey TS, Castellanos J, Chen L, Chidgey B, Dalton D, Dufour JS, Eberting JL, Eller SM, Fields AJ, Fritz JM, Fu A, Ghulamhussain I, Goolsby RW, Greco CM, Grim S, Gunn CA, Hanes L, Harris RE, Harte SE, Hassett AL, Helton K, Hoffmeyer A, Ivanova A, Jones Berkeley S, Kaplan C, Kidwell KM, Knapik GG, Kosorok MR, Kurillo G, Li D, Lobo R, Long J, Lotz JC, Mageswaran P, Majumdar S, Mao J, Marras WS, McCracken LM, McCumber M, McLean SA, McMillan M, Mehling W, Mendoza R, Mitchell UH, Napadow V, O'Neill C, Pearson S, Peltier S, Rundell SD, Ryser S, Schrepf A, Schulze E, Sperger J, Vo N, Wallace MS, Wampler AM, Wasan AD, Weaver TE, Weber KA, Wilcox L, Williams DA, Wilson L, Woo JE, Zeidan F, Zhao B, Zhou B, Anstrom KJ, Clauw DJ, Sowa GA, Mauck MC. Baseline characteristics of participants in the Biomarkers for Evaluating Spine Treatments clinical trial: a sequential multiple assignment randomized trial for chronic low back pain†. Pain Med. 2025 11 01; 26(11):758-772. View on PubMed
  20. Consolini J, Koch KM, Burge AJ, Xia E, Majumdar S, Gold GE, Potter HG, Koff MF. Exploratory analysis of infrapatellar fat pad MRI-based radiomics for detection of knee structure abnormalities in collegiate basketball players and swimmers. Osteoarthr Imaging. 2025 Dec; 5(4):100379. View on PubMed

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